Above ground swimming pool owners who live in areas that require that they cover their pools during the winter months know all too well of the burdens associated with such maintenance. The existing covers are usually anchored around the pool perimeter and supported in the pool by balloon-like floats. The floating supports tend to either deflate or move about resulting in sagging portions that collect leaves, branches and water. As a result, the pool owner must constantly adjust the cover, re-position and inflate the floats, and tighten the perimeter anchoring. Further, the cover can become damaged and torn due to the excessive stress created by the collected water and debris. Ultimately, the cover needs to be replaced prematurely and at a considerable cost. Another identified problem is that existing covers' often trap water posing a potential drowning hazard to children and pets. The development of the invention and system herein described fulfills this need.
Although the invention resembles a conventional above ground pool cover, the invention has a donut-shaped ring around a higher center air pillow and a plurality of other inflatable pillows. In this manner the pool cover is kept above the levels of the sidewalls of the pool causing any rain, snow, leaves or the like simply fall of the pool cover and onto the ground. Leaves, water and unwanted debris are unable to accumulate on the cover. Additionally, since no water is present on the cover of the pool, the risk of drowning by young children or pets that may access the pool cover area is greatly reduced. The pillows are interconnected with a tube structure that extends to the side of the pool to allow it to be filled or refilled from the perimeter. Finally, a series of straps hold the pillows in place to the underside of the pool cover. The use of the innovative above ground pool covering apparatus and system allows pool owners to keep rain, snow, leaves, and other debris off of their above ground pool cover over the winter months while providing a safer environment for children and pets.
Several attempts have been made in the past to cover and protect a swimming pool, especially during extended periods of inactivity. U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,254 in the name of Terreri discloses a pool cover support comprising a balloon for placement on the surface of the water in a swimming pool, an air hose with one end attached to said balloon and another attached to a valve, that when during an inflation, the balloon can raise a pool cover to prevent build-up of unwanted debris thereon the pool cover. Unfortunately, the Terreri device does not provide a tie-down means to secure the pool cover via ropes or strapping to an exterior location. Additionally, the present invention utilizes a secondary outer ring pillow as well as a center pillow with air distribution conduits evenly distributing the pressurized air from an air supply source thereto both outer ring and center pillows.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,479 in the name of Bonneau teaches a inflatable swimming pool cover adapted to become arched over the pool when air under pressure is projected under the cover, having a skirt adapted to hang in the water adjacent to a peripheral side wall with a series of holes that bleed air in order to maintain the cover at a desired height. The Bonneau device differs in scope from the present invention in that a constant supply of pressurized air must be introduced to the cover, thereby increasing energy consumption and maintenance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,239 in the name of Gadsby describes an inflatable swimming pool cover which, when installed and inflated with a blower, floats on a water surface and has a bulbous surface raising above the swimming pool perimeter. Unfortunately, the Gadsby device also depends on a constant supply of pressurized air must be introduced to the cover, thereby creating the same energy consumption and maintenance problems as in the Bonneau device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,704 in the name of Genzel et al. discloses a swimming pool cover with multiple air compartments which are fixed in location with respect to each other, which may be interleaved with laterally overlapping portions. The cover also comprises a removable exterior portion which is exposed for cleaning and maintenance. The Genzel et al. device differs in scope from the present device in that it does not provide for a center pillow and an annular-shaped outer ring pillow interconnected with a plurality of air distribution conduits, all attached via attachment straps thereto an encompassing pool cover, which incorporates means by which a user can securely tie-down to an exterior location.
None of the prior art particularly describes a swimming pool cover, particularly for above-ground pools, that can be inflated with an air supply source into a protective cover having an outer ring pillow and air distribution conduits channeling pressurized air into a center pillow, thereby raising an attached pool cover to a sufficient height in order to prevent the accumulation of unwanted debris. Accordingly, there is a need for a pool covering apparatus and system that solves the problems identified with conventional covers and methods